Whether on a political, economic, or environmental level, the notion of manufacturers altering their processes to be more sustainable - yet still emphasizing quality manufacturing - is always in the news. Frequent studies come out analyzing the current state of sustainable manufacturing and recommendations are made, and many contract manufacturers learn to adapt, both in order to properly align with regulations and to encourage sustainability throughout the manufacturing process.
This concept was demonstrated in a recent report done by researchers at Oregon State University (and published in the Journal of Cleaner Production). At its core, the report offers a sustainable development methodology that still supports quality manufacturing and allows CMs to remain economically competitive.
The Methodology
The methodology itself is interesting - it incorporates unit process modeling and life-cycle inventory. Doing this allows the researchers to select a range of sustainability metrics, quantify them, and ask logical, meaningful questions about them. Some of these questions include:
- Should the product use a different material?
- Would running the production line faster be worth the extra energy used or the impact on worker health and safety?
- Which approach might lead to injuries and more lost work?
- How can scrap and waste be minimized?
- Which design alternative will generate the least greenhouse gas emissions?
By doing this, manufacturers can more effectively (and accurately) determine which process adjustments are best for them as an organization, as well as their clients. Obviously, anytime you look into part substitutions you need to carefully evaluate the end result in terms of value - how will this impact the end-user or consumer? But overall, it serves as a great reminder for companies interested in quality manufacturing that operates in a sustainable way, to understand the processes that are in place and how it will impact your product(s).
If you'd like to learn more about partnering with a manufacturing company that emphasizes quality manufacturing, just click here.
